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“A reminder will not be necessary, Your Honor,” Van replies, that attitude still there, waiting for the opportunity to jump back into this conversation.
“Good.” He smiles like he didn’t just intimidate the shit out of the room. “Now, introduce me to the future Mrs. Cain.”
My stomach does this girly flutter for some odd reason, like she enjoys the sound of such an atrocity. We only want to be the future Mrs. Cain if we can remove that giant stick from Mr. Cain’s ass and beat him with it.
“Reese Carmichael, Your Honor.”
I don’t wait for Van to say something shitty or make this situation even more awkward. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
Van makes a choking noise beside me, but I ignore it. I don’t have time to deal with him and his bullshit. The judge looks to be in no mood for delays, especially since Van busted into his office for an impromptu wedding. Van truly brings out the worst in people.
“The pleasure is all mine.” Enoch, as Van called him, stands and rounds his oak desk. “I have to say, Alistair failed to accurately portray your beauty.”
“Well,”—I smile, unable to help myself—“Alistair fails at being a decent human, too, but we’re working on it.”
Working on burying him where no one will find his ripped-ass body.
A boisterous laugh belts out of the judge. “You’re right, Alistair. She’s definitely the one.”
I stop breathing. Did he just say Van was right? That I’m the one?
Surely, he doesn’t mean it like I’m his one true love. It’s probably something crappy, like, the one he can get away with blackmailing into being his wife, or something even crazier like, I’m perfect for his next victim. You never know about people. Van could have grown tired of fires and resorted to murder.
I’m about to bring it up, too, but Van snatches me against his hard chest, knocking the breath from me.
“Do it, Enoch—I mean, Your Honor. Or do you plan on going back on your word?”
Damn them and their cryptic conversations. Does the good judge know the truth of what’s happening? Did he agree to help this monster? If so, I’m just as screwed with the judicial system as I am with Van. The man knows how to keep people in his pocket.
“You know I am a man of my word; if you do this, you will be, too.”
His eyes find mine in a warning. “No matter the circumstances, once you recite these vows, there is no turning back. The sanctity of marriage will forever bind you.”
Sweat beads on the back of my neck. I try pulling away to look into Van’s eyes. Does he hear this man? Judge Gadot knows this is a sham, and he’s warning us of the repercussions of violating something holy with blackmail.
“We understand,” Van snaps above my head, holding me close so I can’t see his eyes.
Gadot smiles, and it makes me nervous—very nervous. “And do you also understand that your marriage is forever?”
Oh, hell no.
I hold up a finger, stopping the honorable judge, but Van’s warm hand quickly covers it, answering for us both.
“We will remain as one,” he warns, “until death do us part.”
Reese
I don’t know if the whole until death do us part thing rooted my feet to the floor or the finality in Van Gogh’s words did. Either way, it paralyzed me with fear—something that never happens.
Being scared is for people with something to lose, which I have always lacked.
But this feels different. I’m not losing my house or even six years of my life.
I’m losing forever.
My entire life is gone, committed to the man I once loved.
He made no threats and gave me no warnings about what would come if I didn’t follow through with our vows. Not that I needed them. Van had warned me enough, but there was something different when we were before Judge Gadot.
